Historical Sites

Keeping history alive is seeing a resurgence. The preservation of landmarks, archeological sites, historical battlefields, and the like, has seen a year-over-year growth rate of 16 percent, according to AnythingResearch.com.

It seems consumers are still keeping a tight grip on their wallets, so when the urge for a getaway presents itself, more people are looking to stay local. "In general, smaller regional attractions have tended to do better as people have opted for less expensive, closer to home vacations, or 'staycations,'" says LeeAnn Donnelly, a representative for Biltmore House & Gardens, George Vanderbilt's family's estate that's now a tourist destination.

AnythingResearch.com notes that many historical sites are being run by volunteers who get assistance from professional historians, conservators and preservation architects. One challenge for would-be entrepreneurs in this industry: More than half of the industry's revenue, which reached close to $1 million, came from public and private donations. Check out Inc.com's gallery of images of six great historical site businesses.

By the Numbers:

16%

Year-over-year growth rate for Historical Sites, according to AnythingResearch.com

1.2%

Annual growth in employment growth in historical sites from 2011 to 2016, according to IBISWorld

-1.1%

Annual revenue growth for historical sites from 2008 to 2011, according to IBISWorld